Blog - Karen A. Chase

Men’s Fiction Part III (of III): Why we (all) should read it

July 11, 2014 By Karen A. Chase

I’m back for a final chat about men’s fiction with West Coast Don of MenReadingBooks.

Karen: It’s discussed on the website, The Art of Manliness, why men should read fiction. Another article from a couple years ago speculated why men weren’t reading novels anymore. Why should we, men and women, read men’s fiction? For compassion? For understanding? Why do you read fiction?

Don: It’s different for everyone. I really do read for fun. Given that I deal in real life human trauma, both emotional and the emotional impact of big physical traumas, I like stories in which there is usually a favorable outcome and where there is less ambiguity than in real life. “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy, was both unfavorable and ambiguous.

Karen: I know for me, some of the men’s fiction allows me a true escape into another life. They’re adventurous. Wilbur Smith and his tales of South Africa and elephant hunts for instance.
Don: It is the vicarious thrill of adventure, and yet these stories–this men’s fiction–can still include human drama.

Karen: In the end, regardless of genre, male or female-focused, what is it we all hope to find in well-written fiction?
Don: Real life stories. I know I’m constantly drawn to them. I think, in the end, we all like to hear and read real human stories.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

If you missed our earlier discussions you can find Part I here, and Part II here.

If you’d like a comprehensive list of men’s fiction to read, The Art Of Manliness has that, as of course does MenReadingBooks. Please share your favorite titles, new and old that have been your best adventure stories in my comments below.

My favorite titles, written by men or women, include the following. I include them because of their history, great writing or context, and their ability to inform not only my intellect by my character. Are they men’s fiction? Perhaps. (Just not when I read them.)

The Sun Also Rises by Hemingway
The Courtney series by Wilbur Smith
Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
The Laguna by Barbara Kingsolver
The Spanish Bow by Andromeda Romano-Lax
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone
Sacré Bleu by Christopher Moore
Sherlock Holmes series by Arthur Conan Doyle
Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
Shogun by James Clavell
The Odyssey by Homer
(Yes, I’ve actually read both of those last two. All. Of. The. Pages. Whew!)

Men’s Fiction Part II (of III): What makes it great?

July 3, 2014 By Karen A. Chase

I’m back with West Coast Don of MenReadingBooks to continue our discussion of men’s fiction. Like all genres and books, there is good fiction, and there is bad.

Karen: What makes great men’s fiction great?
Don: The same as all fiction. I think it comes down to three things. Plot. Character development. Quality of the writing. If the author doesn’t handle those well, it’s weak.

Karen: If those apply to all fiction, what makes it great men’s fiction?
Don: I think with the third point–quality of writing–male authors focus on combining the right amount of complexity and timing. Too many twist and turns in the plot, and it’s a soap opera. The timing refers to when I’m fed information. I want details, but facts and background have to come at the right moment for the reader.

Karen: Does that mean that men’s fiction is fact-based or can it be literary?
Don: Definitely it can be simply literary. Ken Bruen is an amazing example. He writes crime set in Ireland in his Jack Taylor series. Great plot but his writing is so good. Again it goes back to quality, and reading him is a very literary experience. It’s prose. He doesn’t try to impress with vocabulary, but it’s not too elementary.

Next week, in the final Part III, we’ll chat about why men (and women) should read more fiction. If you missed it, here’s Part I of this series on what male fiction is and isn’t.

Readers: Is men’s fiction on your reading this summer? Who are some of your favorite male authors and why?

Men’s Fiction Part I (of III): What it is and isn’t

June 27, 2014 By Karen A. Chase

Two factors recently made me wonder if fiction could be categorized into male and female.

First, two weeks ago James Franco’s summer reading list came out and he received some flack because it was almost entirely male authors. Second, based on a couple agent rejections, I’m worried how my historical fiction is being viewed–both as a female author and because of a male protagonist. Historical novels authored by women often have female leads and are targeted toward female readers. (Like The Other Boleyn Girl.) They are often represented by agents who also handle romance, not military non-fiction. In reality, my novel has more battles than bodice-ripping (think, Jeff Shaara), but would that alone make it male-focused fiction?

I am clearly not a dude. So in an effort to explore the topic, I spoke with Don Houts of the blog MenReadingBooks. In this three-part blog series, “West Coast Don” and I will talk about:
I: What men’s fiction is and isn’t.
II: What makes it great.
III: Why we (all) should read it.

MEN’S FICTION PART I: WHAT IT IS AND ISN’T

Karen: So, what would you consider men’s fiction?
Don: It’s easier to define what it’s not. It isn’t overly detailed about relationship stuff. That’s not to say it doesn’t include it, like in Kathryn Stockart’s The Help. But drilling down on relationships just isn’t the focus. Her story primarily captured the human experience of racism from different perspectives.

Karen: She is one of a handful of female authors included in a very long-list of male authors on your site.
Don: I would guess close to 90% of books that appeal to men, are written by men. But women like Louise Penny are in there. She’s an example of how women don’t need to write like they think a man would write in order to appeal to men. She has a feminine touch, yet she doesn’t try too hard. Her fiction is not brutal or grisly. Even male authors can overdo that.

Karen: Colleen McCullough with her factual-fiction about Julius Caesar might be considered male-fiction. Is that partly because of the genre? Or is it her historically accurate details?
Don: Often male fiction is historical. Or it’s crime. Thrillers. War. Some mystery. But again, it’s about the content. It’s about how artfully the amount of detail is handled. Academic books are often too dense. It doesn’t always have to, but men’s fiction tends to inform like non-fiction. Dan Brown is a good example of fiction that includes a large volume of data, but in a way that’s compelling.

Next week in Part II, Don and I will discuss what makes men’s fiction great.

In the meantime, readers, do you read what you would consider to be male fiction? If so, why do you think it’s male fiction? Or is there a distinction to you?

The Canadian Flag is Out

June 20, 2014 By Karen A. Chase

My Canadian flag, it stands on guard for thee.

Hello again readers. I’ve missed you!

Summer is here and the Canadian Flag is out. Yes, Canada Day is just around the corner on July 1st, but it’s not the only reason this flag waves.

My historical novel about the Declaration of Independence is edited and I’ve begun the work of pitching suitable agents (more on this in the coming weeks). Friends and family have graciously begun inquiring about the process.

“Get an agent, yet? How about now? Now?”

Not only did a receive a rejection 1 hour and 35 minutes after submitting my first query, I know there are more to come. Even famous writers get them. Kathryn Stockett, author of The Help, revealed to More Magazine that she was rejected a whopping 60 times. 6-0!

Rejections are part of the process. I’m not trying to sell this book to agents and publishers, I’m trying to connect with the one agent who sees the potential in it as much as I do. Given that agents respond between 24 hours and 8 weeks, the process is unpredictable.

My friend and neighbor (another Karen), suggested I put out a sign so she didn’t have to keep asking. Brilliant!

The Canadian Flag will fly while I am still submitting to agents and publishers. Once I receive an offer on my 1776 historical novel, I’ll put out the American Flag. (Funny, right?)

I, too, look forward to seeing it wave over the home of the brave.

Editor Master

April 24, 2014 By Karen A. Chase

Last time on Compositions, I wrote about searching for a new editor. After I queried several developmental editors, it became clear that my novel didn’t need massive plot and character work. So I ended up selecting a woman from right here in Richmond to help me line edit and clean it up a bit. Kris Spisak of K.S. Writing, who edits at all levels, agreed to work on the book with me from a copyedit standpoint. I must brag about her here, even at the risk of her becoming so busy she won’t have time for me either.

What I got back from Kris was gloriously beyond simple punctuation and grammar remarks. She gave thoughtful suggestions on word choices for specific characters. She highlighted where to insert “show-don’t-tell.” (Sometimes I failed to show someone’s jaw clenching, and merely said they were angry.) She pointed out where I used clichés instead of my unique voice, and where I repeated phrases unecessarily. She wrote in comments like “cool” or “well done” when I did things right, so I could also learn from my own good work. It is nothing short of a mini masters class in creative writing.

Because of her new edits, and the polishing required on the rest of the manuscript, Compositions will quiet for a few weeks. I have serious work to do, and in the end I want to show you the novel rather than just tell you about it.

In the meantime, if you’re in the Richmond area and want to attend an actual masters writing class, there is one in my neighborhood. Sign up with James River Writers online and the event is tomorrow (Friday).

Editor Wanted

March 28, 2014 By Karen A. Chase

Last week a freelance editor who I have been working with for over a year, delivered bad news. She could no longer work with me because of larger projects with tight deadlines from publishers. I was nearing the end of editing, expecting a review of my rewrites on the first 50-100 pages only. It felt like I was getting divorced right before retirement.

I don’t blame her–the work was better I am sure. But now the two weeks I had scheduled for her review, had become a week of interviewing new editors. Most asked to see the first 20–50 pages to provide estimates, and to gauge the quality. (They are all developmental editors looking for plot, characters development, POV, etc.). So I sent it and moped around waiting.

Then a funny thing happened.

The responses from the new editors–all of them entirely unfamiliar with my writing or story–came in. Glowing. One said she was hooked from the beginning of chapter one. Another replied, “I think your premise is ingenious, and your execution–from what I’ve seen so far–is remarkable. You are a dedicated, diligent, and detailed writer.”

I don’t say all this to brag (okay, maybe a teeny bit). I say this, because that setback proved to be one of the best things for me.

Now I understand what my characters experience. Sometimes our stories take us to unexpected places. Perhaps it is through this adventure we find out who we truly are, and where we are going. Door closed, window opened.

Ready, Set, Read…

March 14, 2014 By Karen A. Chase

On March 21st, a new speed-reading app could help you read 1000 words/minute. Spritz allows your eyes to stay stationary, while the words stream one at a time, just slightly left of center. The sample app in an online article took me from reading 100 words a minute (slower than I normally read) to 500 words a minute in just a few seconds, with remarkable comprehension. Spritz has significant science about how we read behind the technology, but let’s talk about this from the reader and author perspective.

Readers: The trouble with being human is having one pair of eyes and too many books. When I add in research for historical novels, my pleasure reading drops considerably. I love paper books. I have a Kindle. I read online. The words are more important than the vehicle. If this new vehicle can help me read War & Peace (over 300,000 words) in about 5 hours, I say is buckle up and let’s go.

Authors: Does this add extra burden to authors to produce books at a faster rate, if readers can plow through them at a faster rate? Perhaps. If readers can tell in the first 50 pages whether a novel is good or not, they’ll decide to soldier on through War and Peace in fewer than 10 seconds. Do I wish there was a write-faster app? Youbetchya. But for now, authors be strong. This app isn’t permission to produce quantity over quality. Story trumps speed, and soon readers will learn that faster than ever before.

Advice from the 40s

March 4, 2014 By Karen A. Chase

"You're never to old to eat ice cream." — “You’re never to old to eat ice cream.”

Today is my birthday! So, now I’m 43. I know what you’re thinking. “Oy! Really? Well, that explains her roots.” Yes, it does, hence the hats. Gray hairs aside, I don’t feel my age. In part, because I have role models my age who are awesome.

For instance, all the chicks in my neighborhood named Karen (and a few others). We are all over 40 and many of us are just ramping up. But there are also famous people my age who are amazeballs, like Tina Fey. On turning 40 she said, “I need to take my pants off as soon as I get home. I didn’t used to have to do that. But now I do.” I refer to Tina’s 43 wise quotes whenever I begin to feel old.

A recent New York Times article by Pamela Druckerman highlights what she knows now that she’s 44. One of my favorites, “There are no grown-ups… Everyone is winging it, some just do it more confidently.”

Following this vein and quote, I thought I would add just a few key things I know now:

• 1 drink=relaxing. 2=fun. 3=-hangover.

• 1 cup of coffee=perky. 2=poop. 3=A.D.D.

• I’m still uncertain if cow’s milk does a body good, or is bad for humans.

• There are three instances when it’s best to keep my mouth shut:
– In public restrooms
– When cleaning the litterbox
– Around my boyfriend’s children

• Men want a woman’s hands to be clean and pretty because they picture them in dirty places. (Go ask, I’ll wait.)

• If you’re posting unexplained crisis-driven comments on Facebook like “Pray for me,” or “Why is this happening to me?” it’s probably better to call a therapist than to post on social media.

• Anytime I’ve wondered, “Does this outfit look okay?” it absolutely does not.

• Nothing ruins a great outfit, or a witty personality like halitosis. Find someone you love who is honest and breathe in their face. (Note: The person checking your halitosis cannot also have halitosis. Find a dentist.)

• I shouldn’t buy into my own BS. By the time I’m 44, most of the above will sound like a load of bologna.

• This blog is more than my allotted 250 words and is on Tuesday not Friday, but we should think like pirates. There are no rules. There are merely guidelines!

Dealing with Doubt

February 28, 2014 By Karen A. Chase

This painting by Henrietta Rae is actually called "Doubts." There he is behind her, that rascal. — This painting by Henrietta Rae is actually called “Doubts.” There he is sneaking up behind her, that good-for-nothing rascal.

Doubt is a natural thing for authors–for just about any profession. So I’m sharing a method to get rid of it. Personification.

Doubt. He’s a cold fish in a dusty old striped suit, with a ridiculous hat over a sharp nose. Sometimes he slips in a door I thought I’d shut behind me and slithers into a chair. He sniffs at me, clearly unimpressed with my work and determination.

“Really?” he says, “Are you sure you can do this?” His British accent sounds contrived.

I nod and mumble, “Go away. You’re not helping.”

“Ah, so you aren’t quite certain,” he raises a thin eyebrow. He smells stale, but the pompous manner in which he crosses one leg over the other gives the impression he thinks otherwise.

I try to reason away my uncertainty, “It’s not just me, you know. Even famous writers wonder if… If…”

“If today they’ll discover you’re a fraud?”

I hate it when he’s eloquent on days I’m not. I hate the way he picks the dirt from beneath his nails and flicks it to the floor. As if that bit of dirt is me.

Doubt is about to speak again when I hear a woman say, “Doubt can make you work harder. But he’s destructive. Unhelpful. He can’t stay.”

Gumption is here! That chick is kick-ass, and she empowers me. I point to the door, “Get out, Doubt! I’ve work to do.”

As Doubt slinks away, Gumption winks at me, “You’ve got this.” Yes. I do.

Editing Historical Fiction

February 21, 2014 By Karen A. Chase

I read that Dan Brown takes about two years to research a novel, and another two to write. Editing adds to the process, because it involves those first two steps. Using The DaVinci Code, and the assumption that Brown wrote it from beginning to end, I’ll explain how (with some conjecture).

Year one: Brown sees DaVinci’s painting and thinks, “that guy next to Jesus looks like a chick.” A quick Google search… she could be Mary Magdalene? “Betchya the church would have killed to keep that a secret.” Bing! Book idea. So now he researches Bible lore galore, secret codes, and the history of France and Rome. Maybe he writes chapter one.

Year two: More research! He has to go to Paris (poor guy) and the Vatican. In Italy he writes three more chapters.

Year three: Writes continually. Decides the female character must be the descendent of Jesus and Mary. Serious plot changes.

End of year four: Book done. (Party!)

Year five: Editing. Back to chapter one. Wow, it kind of sucks. It’s four years old. He has read a few books on writing historical fiction since then. He’s also seen the Louvre, and the pyramids are not where he put them. He has to apply fours years of knowledge to every old word.

So, that’s where I am now. I’m editing my American Revolution manuscript (again), but now as an author who is four years older. Better read. Wiser about the history. But, I thank Mary Magdalene that I am.